PMID: 

Isr Med Assoc J. 2008 Jan ;10(1):8-12. PMID: 18300563

Abstract Title: 

The mosaic of autoimmunity: hormonal and environmental factors involved in autoimmune diseases–2008.

Abstract: 

[n/a]

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PMID: 

J Child Neurol. 2009 Jun ;24(6):758-62. Epub 2009 Mar 4. PMID: 19264734

Abstract Title: 

Critical illness polyneuromyopathy in a child with severe demyelinating myelitis.

Abstract: 

We report a child presenting with severe demyelinating myelitis complicated with critical illness polyneuropathy. This previously healthy 8-month-old boy presented with acute superior limb weakness, absent tendon reflexes, and respiratory failure. Spinal magnetic resonance imaging showed an extensive cervical demyelinating lesion. Spinal cord trauma was suspected and high doses of dexamethasone were administered. Electromyography and nerve conduction studies showed absence of compound muscle action potentials and sural nerve sensory action potential, which was suggestive of a severe Guillain-Barré syndrome. However, intravenous immunoglobulins did not induce any improvement. Afterward, sural nerve biopsy showed a mild neuropathy, but muscle biopsy revealed abnormalities compatible with severe critical illness myopathy. After 5 months of evolution without improvement, the patient died following withdrawal of life support therapy. This case highlights the possible occurrence of critical illness polyneuromyopathy when treatment with corticosteroids are used in patients with acute demyelinating myelitis.

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PMID: 

Lupus. 2009 Nov ;18(13):1186-91. PMID: 19880566

Abstract Title: 

Vaccination of healthy subjects and autoantibodies: from mice through dogs to humans.

Abstract: 

Vaccination against pathogenic microorganisms is one of the major achievements of modern medicine, but due to an increasing number of reports of adverse reactions the vaccination procedure has induced also considerable debate. It is well known that certain infections are involved in triggering the production of autoantibodies, which could lead to autoimmune adverse reactions in genetically predisposed subjects. Based on these findings it was assumed that vaccinations might induce similar autoimmune reactions. At present there is no clear-cut evidence that vaccinations are associated with overt autoimmune diseases but it has been demonstrated that in genetically predisposed persons vaccination can trigger the production of autoantibodies and autoimmune adverse reactions. The first studies investigating the production of autoantibodies following vaccination were done in dogs and mice. Several studies investigated the production of autoantibodies following vaccination in patients with autoimmune diseases, but there are only limited data on the autoimmune responses after vaccinations in apparently healthy humans. This review summarizes current evidence on the vaccination-induced autoantibodies in apparently healthy subjects including studies in animals and humans.

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PMID: 

An Pediatr (Barc). 2011 Sep ;75(3):199-202. Epub 2011 Jun 14. PMID: 21676664

Abstract Title: 

[Infantile bullous pemphigoid developing after hexavalent, meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccinations].

Abstract: 

Bullous pemphigoid is an acquired autoimmune blistering disorder extremely uncommon in children, characterized by circulating IgG antibodies to antigens of the epidermal basement membrane zone. In general, the clinical course of this condition is good and relapses are rare. The early diagnosis and treatment are fundamental. We present a 3-month-old girl with a blistering eruption on her palms and soles, and urticarial plaques on trunk, and face, 3 weeks after vaccine at two months (hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenzae B, meningococcal C, pneumococcus). The clinical course worsened with vaccinations at 4 and 6 months. The control of lesions was achieved with oral deflazacort 1 mg/kg/day, with a gradual decrease until 3 months of therapy. The patient is still in remission after 8 months of follow-up. Bullous pemphigoid has been connected with some drugs and vaccinations, 1 day to 4 weeks after receiving immunization. Although the exact mechanism of induction is unclear, this case report has a visible relationship with vaccinations.

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PMID: 

J Pediatr Neurosci. 2015 Jan-Mar;10(1):61-3. PMID: 25878749

Abstract Title: 

Concurrent acute disseminated encephalomyelitis and Guillain-Barré syndrome in a child.

Abstract: 

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) are distinct demyelinating disorders that share an autoimmune pathogenesis and prior history of viral infection or vaccination. Our patient is a 10 years with acute flaccid paralysis, quadriparesis (lower limbs affected more than upper limbs), generalized areflexia and urinary retention. He had difficulty in speech and drooling of saliva. He also presented with raised intracranial pressure with papilledema; then bilateral optic neuritis developed during the later course of illness. Based on the temporal association and exclusion of alternative etiologies, diagnosis of the association between ADEM and GBS was made. Electro-diagnosis (electromyography-nerve conduction velocity) and magnetic resonance imaging study supported our diagnosis. He improved remarkably after treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin and intravenous methylprednisolone.

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PMID: 

Lupus. 2016 Apr ;25(4):339-42. Epub 2016 Feb 3. PMID: 26846691

Abstract Title: 

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)–A novel member of the autoimmune family.

Abstract: 

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a heterogeneous disorder of the autonomic nervous system in which a change from the supine position to an upright position causes an abnormally large increase in heart rate or tachycardia (30 bpm within 10 min of standing or head-up tilt). This response is accompanied by a decrease in blood flow to the brain and hence a spectrum of symptoms associated with cerebral hypoperfusion. Many of these POTS-related symptoms are also observed in chronic anxiety and panic disorders, and therefore POTS is frequently under- and misdiagnosed.

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PMID: 

Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2018 05 ;57(5):603-606. Epub 2017 Sep 4. PMID: 28868890

Abstract Title: 

Autoimmunity, Autonomic Neuropathy, and the HPV Vaccination: A Vulnerable Subpopulation.

Abstract: 

[n/a]

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PMID: 

Phytochemistry. 2020 Jan 3 ;171:112232. Epub 2020 Jan 3. PMID: 31911266

Abstract Title: 

Undescribed morroniside-like secoiridoid diglycosides withα-glucosidase inhibitory activity from Corni Fructus.

Abstract: 

Corni Fructus, also known as the fruit of Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc., has long been used as a traditional Chinese medicine and is widely consumed as a nutritional food in the form of function drink and wine. Recently, Corni Fructus has attracted considerable interest because of its anti-diabetic effects. A systematic phytochemical investigation of Corni Fructus was performed to find anti-diabetic components, which led to the isolation of 10 unreported iridoid glycosides, cornusdiglycosides A-J (1-8, 9a/9b and 10a/10b). Their chemical structures were determined through spectroscopic analysis (ultraviolet [UV], infrared [IR], high-resolution electrospray ionisation mass spectroscopy [HRESIMS], one-dimensional [1D] and two-dimensional [2D] nuclear magnetic resonance [NMR]). Such morroniside-type diglycosides were first reported from natural sources, and all isolates were evaluated forα-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The results showed that all compounds (1-10) exhibited α-glucosidase (from Saccharomyces cerevisiae) inhibitory activities with ICvalues ranging from 78.9 ± 4.09 to 162.2 ± 9.17 μM, whereas acarbose, the positive control, displayed α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with ICvalue of 118.9 ± 7.89 μM.

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PMID: 

Environ Int. 2019 11 ;132:105064. Epub 2019 Aug 13. PMID: 31419765

Abstract Title: 

Inflammation and acute traffic-related air pollution exposures among a cohort of youth with type 1 diabetes.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: Evidence remains equivocal regarding the association of inflammation, a precursor to cardiovascular disease, and acute exposures to ambient air pollution from traffic-related particulate matter. Though youth with type 1 diabetes are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease, the relationship of inflammation and ambient air pollution exposures in this population has received little attention.OBJECTIVES: Using five geographically diverse US sites from the racially- and ethnically-diverse SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Cohort, we examined the relationship of acute exposures to PMmass, Atmospheric Dispersion Modeling System (ADMS)-Roads traffic-related PM concentrations near roadways, and elemental carbon (EC) with biomarkers of inflammation including interleukin-6 (IL-6), c-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and fibrinogen.METHODS: Baseline questionnaires and blood were obtained at a study visit. Using a spatio-temporal modeling approach, pollutant exposures for 7 days prior to blood draw were assigned to residential addresses. Linear mixed models for each outcome and exposure were adjusted for demographic and lifestyle factors identified a priori.RESULTS: Among the 2566 participants with complete data, fully-adjusted models showed positive associations of EC average week exposures with IL-6 and hs-CRP, and PMmass exposures on lag day 3 with IL-6 levels. Comparing the 25th and 75th percentiles of average week EC exposures resulted in 8.3% higher IL-6 (95%CI: 2.7%,14.3%) and 9.8% higher hs-CRP (95%CI: 2.4%,17.7%). We observed some evidence of effect modification for the relationships of PMmass exposures with hs-CRP by gender and with IL-6 by race/ethnicity.CONCLUSIONS: Indicators of inflammation were associated with estimated traffic-related air pollutant exposures in this study population of youth with type 1 diabetes. Thus youth with type 1 diabetes may be at increased risk of air pollution-related inflammation. These findings and the racial/ethnic and gender differences observed deserve further exploration.

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PMID: 

Viral Immunol. 2011 Aug ;24(4):311-9. PMID: 21830902

Abstract Title: 

Baculovirus-produced influenza virus-like particles in mammalian cells protect mice from lethal influenza challenge.

Abstract: 

Influenza virus-like particles (VLPs) are effective vaccines against influenza infection, which can be produced either in insect cells by recombinant baculovirus (BV) infection or in mammalian cells by DNA plasmid transfection. However, VLPs produced from baculovirus/insect cells are difficult to purify due to baculovirus contamination; VLPs produced by plasmid transfection are limited by scale-up capability. In this study, a BacMam BV, in which three CMV-promoters drive the hemagglutinin, neuraminidase, and matrix of influenza virus was constructed. This baculovirus can deliver these genes into mammalian cells/hosts and subsequently influenza VLPs can be produced and secreted from transduced cells. Transduction conditions were optimized and influenza VLPs were purified from transduced 293T cells. Mice were vaccinated with BV transduction-produced VLPs, plasmid transfection-produced VLPs, and BacMam BV. Two vaccinations of each vaccine induced high hemagglutination-inhibition (HAI) titers and prevented influenza virus infection. In contrast, following a single vaccination, all mice vaccinated with each vaccine had significantly lower lung viral titers compared to unvaccinated mice. Remarkably, mice vaccinated with a single dose of BV transduction-produced VLPs survived challenge, whereas mice vaccinated with one dose of BacMam BV- or plasmid transfection-produced VLPs had 60-80% survival. This finding is particularly significant for producing easily purified VLPs. The BacMam system is an alternative strategy for VLP production, which is easy to scale up and purify. Besides, BacMam BV can be used as a gene delivery vector to produce VLPs in vivo, to stimulate immune responses.

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